Just about everyone's daily ritual includes that of a shower or bath. Hopefully, in most cases, this ritual includes the use of soap. While soap has been around since almost the beginning of civilization, the disadvantages associated with its use have not really been worked out. Perhaps the greatest of these disadvantages is that of its slipperiness. This trait often causes soap to fall to the floor where it is difficult to find and perhaps even more difficult to pick up, especially those who may be elderly or disabled. Also, soap is typically used with a sponge or washcloth which requires the use of two hands, especially when applying the soap to the sponge or washcloth. Once again, this is not always process. Finally, in the case of bar soaps, it eventually gets too small where upon it is useless and must be discarded, thus wasting money as well.
Several attempts have been made in the past to design a means for use of soap and a sponge in one convenient apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,916 in the name of Avery discloses a scrubbing unit that includes a sponge with a frangible ampoule containing a liquid soap disposed within a slot in the sponge. A cap fits on the sponge over the slot and pinches in the sides of the sponge to compress a portion of the sponge across the ampoule and thereby close the slot. This prevents fragments of the broken ampoule from coming out of the sponge and helps to directionalize the flow of soap through the sponge by reducing the permeability of the sponge adjacent the cap. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a means for also housing a bar of soap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,643 in the name of Caniglia discloses a soap and sponge washing device for washing the body in a shower or bath that includes a container forming an envelope for a bar of soap. Discrete openings through to the container interior allow water access to the soap and the facile exiting of lather for washing purposes, and a tab-like locking strip is integral with the container material for locking the soap in the container. Preferably there is a plurality of openings and preferably the tab lock is “T”-shape or truncated arrow-shape and is lockable into an opening in the container to block the entrance thereof. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a means for housing liquid soap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,225 in the name of Schubert describes bathing and cleansing articles to contain a bar of soap for use during bathing, cleansing, and the like. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a means for housing liquid soap.
None of the prior art particularly describes a sponge with soap sleeve. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which soap and a sponge can be used together without the disadvantages as described above. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for use during showering and bathing procedures. The sponge with soap sleeve is available in a variety of shapes and sizes and is designed to produce lather quickly. The sponge may also be used on household surfaces. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.